Claude Code Skill Development Guide
This skill provides guidelines for creating and maintaining Claude Code skill files.
Directory Structure
Skills are stored in .claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md:
.claude/
└── skills/
├── taskfile/
│ └── SKILL.md # Taskfile development guidelines
├── secureai/
│ └── SKILL.md # SecureAI CLI usage
└── skill/
└── SKILL.md # This file - how to write skills
Required File Format
Every skill requires a SKILL.md file with two components:
1. YAML Frontmatter
Located between --- markers at the top:
---
name: skill-name
description: What this skill does and when to use it
---
2. Attribution Comment
Immediately after the frontmatter, include:
<!-- This skill follows the Agent Skills open standard: https://agentskills.io -->
3. Markdown Content
Instructions that Claude follows when the skill is invoked.
Frontmatter Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
name |
Yes | Lowercase, hyphens only, max 64 chars |
description |
Yes | When to use the skill - helps Claude decide when to load it |
disable-model-invocation |
No | Set true to prevent Claude from auto-invoking |
user-invocable |
No | Set false to hide from / menu |
allowed-tools |
No | Tools Claude can use without permission |
argument-hint |
No | Hint for expected arguments, e.g., [issue-number] |
Invocation Control
Control who can invoke the skill:
- Default - Both user and Claude can invoke
disable-model-invocation: true- Only user can invoke (use for deployments, commits)user-invocable: false- Only Claude can invoke (use for background knowledge)
Complete Example
---
name: pr-review
description: Review pull request changes for code quality, security, and best practices. Use when reviewing PRs or before merging.
disable-model-invocation: true
---
<!-- This skill follows the Agent Skills open standard: https://agentskills.io -->
# Pull Request Review
When reviewing a pull request, follow these steps:
## 1. Code Quality
- Check for clear variable names
- Verify functions are focused and small
- Look for code duplication
## 2. Security
- Check for hardcoded secrets
- Verify input validation
- Review authentication logic
## 3. Best Practices
- Ensure tests are included
- Check documentation is updated
- Verify error handling
Skill Locations
| Location | Path | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | ~/.claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md |
All your projects |
| Project | .claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md |
This project only |
Best Practices
- Clear description - Help Claude know when to use the skill
- Focused scope - One skill per concern
- Actionable instructions - Tell Claude what to do, not just what to know
- Examples - Include code samples where helpful
- No emojis - Use text formatting instead
Naming Conventions
- Use lowercase with hyphens:
pr-review,code-style,api-design - Keep names short but descriptive
- Avoid generic names like
helperorutils
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